Furnace regenerator



April 7, 1931. F. n. MccsEE FURNAGE REGENERATOR Filed June 14, 1928 3Sheets-Sheet PE4/VK E.

Patente'd Apr. 7, 1931 PATENT OFFICE f FRANK 1R. MCGEE, OF STEUBENVILLE,OHIO FURNACE REGENERATOR Application led June 14,

Y This invention relates to regenerative chambers and checkerworktherefor and, while not limited thereto, relates to regenerativechambers for open hearth furnaces, and has for one of its objects theprovision of a regenerative chamber of improved form whereby the gaseswill be distributed to and collected from the checkers in an improvedmanner.

Another object is to provide a novel form of checkerwork whereby amaterially greater heat exchanging area is provided than in the standardform of checkers, and whereby all the checkers are evenly heated.

A further object is to provide an improved form of support for thecheckerwork.

A still further object is to provide means for regulating the flow ofgases through some of the lvertical checker lues whereby the checkerswill be evenly heated.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a sectionalplan of a checker chamber constructed inaccordance with this invention, taken on the line I-I of Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a sectional side elevation through the chamber.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional elevation through the checkerchamber.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional plan of a portion of the checkers ofthe checker cham- Figure 5 is an elevation taken on theline V--V ofFigure 4.

Figure 6 is a sectional elevation taken on the line VI-VI of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a large scale detail plan ofseveral of the assembled checkerbricks.

Figure 8 is an enlarged side elevation of one of the checker bricks.

Figure 9 is an enlarged plan of one of the checker bricks.

Figure 10 is an enlarged plan of several checker bricksz of a slightlymodified form, in assembled posltion.

Figure 11 is a side elevation of several of the assembled bricks of Fire 10.

ReferringE more particu arly to the drawings, the numeral 2 designatesthe regenerative chamber as a. whole, which is of the usual outline, andhas one end provided with a port 1928. Serial No. 285,324.

3 communicating with the downtake 4 of an open hearth furnace, while itsother end is provided with a port 5 communicating with a conduit 6leading to a stack and air supply conduit (not shown).

A plurality of transversely spaced checker supporting walls 7 extendlongitudinally along the bottom wall of the chamber 2 and are providedwith openings 8. The walls 7 are of constantly increasing height fromthe furnace end of the chamber toward the stack end thereof, so thattheir top faces are inclined upwardly in the direction of iow of thegases. The spaces between the walls 7 form a gas collecting and airdistributing chamber 9 of constantly increasing area toward the outletor stack end of the chamber, while the openings 8 form equalizingpassageways for equalizing the pressure of the gases and air in thedistributing and collecting chamber 9.

A checker supporting diaphragm 10 is supported on the walls 7 and ispreferably formed from a plurality of horizontal layers ofhollow tiles11 laid up in high temperature cement. The tiles 11 may have roughenedsurfaces, if desired, so that the cement will form keys between thetiles, since the tiles 11 are' adapted to be self-sustaining between thewalls 7. The tiles of the several layers are laid up with their openingsin vertical alinement so as to form vertical lues 12 which communicatewith' the vertical iues of the checkers to be described.

A checkerwork A is built on thediaphragm 10 and is composed of aplurality of intersectin yvertically disposed rows 13 of cross shapebricks 14. The bricks 14 may vary in detail but consist essentially of apair of parallel-arms 15 of relatively heavy, square crosssection and apair of parallel arms 16 of relatively light or small and roundcross-section and extending at right angles to the arms 15. The bricks14 are laid up with their relatively heavy cross-section arms 15extendingvertically, and with their relatively light crosssection armsextending horizontall The verticall disposed arms 15 of each ayer ofbricks o l each row are arranged in alinement with and contact with thearms 15 of the adj acent layers of bricks in the same row, while thehorizontal arms 16 of the bricks are spaced a short distance from thearms 16 of the next adjacent bricks. The arms 16 have their verticaledges beveled, as at 18, and the space between the ends of the arms 16are so gaged that the beveled edges 18 of the arms 16 of the bricks ofthe intersecting rows will abut and be supported against each other. Thespace between the arms 16 of the bricks of intersecting rows formvertical flues 19, and the spaces between the intersectin rows of bricksform main vertical flues 20 w iich communicate with the ues 12 in thediaphragm 10.

By4 laying up the bricks 14 with the relatively heav arms disposedvertically and in contact wit the vertical arms of the abutting bricksof the same row, transverse spaces or openings are provided above andbelow the relatively light or reduced cross-section arms 16, whichopenings communicate with the vertical fiues 19 between the ends of thearms 16 and with the next adjacent main flues 20, thus formingtransverse passageways 22 which serve as equalizing and distributingpassa eways through which the gases may How om one main flue 20 to theother, and through which the heated gases pass to the flues 19 betweenthe ends of the arms 16.

The arms 15 of the bricks 14 are preferably interlocked with each otherand, for this purpose, the lower arm 15 is provided with a recess 24 inits end wall, and the upper arms 15 have their end walls provided with aprojection 25 so that the projection 25 of the upper arm of one brick isfitted into the recess 24 of the lower arm of the next brick above.

The checker sup orting diaphragm 10 and the checkerwork are of the samevertical height throughout, and the checkerwork terminates short of thetop of the top wall of the regenerative chamber so as to provide a gasdistributing chamber 26 of gradually reduced area, which causes a moreeven distribution of the gas than a chamber of equal size.

The lower ends of the iues 12 are provided with choke plugs 28, whichserve to choke the flow of gases through the checkers and thereby buildup a sufficient gas pressure to cause equal distribution throughout thecheckers.

The novel form of the checkerwork A, resulting from the novel shapes ofthe bricks 14, provides for substantially forty-tive per cent moreheating surface than when checkerwork is formed from ordinary solidbrick and, at the same time, provides a checkwork in which materiallyless brick is used. The increased heating surface provided by the novelcheckerbricks 14 provides a more eflicient regeetive chamber whichabsorbs more heat from the gases, and consequently giv off more heat tothe air or gases to be heated than a standard regenerator.

In Figures 10 and 11 I have shown a slightly modified form of checkerbrick which has the edges of the vertical arms 15 rounded, as at 15, soas to increase the heating surface thereof, and the arms l5 of thebricks used to construct the transverse checker walls are notched, as at16, to form seats for the unnotched ends of the arms 15 of the bricksused to construct the longitudinal checker walls. The rounded edges 15aof the arms 15 serve to increase the size of the transverse passageways22 between the checker lues 20, and the edges may be rounded in a moreor less degree, as desired.

It will also be understood that the arms 15 of the bricks 14 may havetheir edges rounded, if desired, so as to increase their heating surfaceand also increase the size of the transverse passageways 22.

While I have shown and described one specitic vform of my invention, itwill be linderstood that I do not wish to. be limited thereto sincevarious forms of checker brick may be used to form the novel form ofcheckerwork and various other modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the scope thereof, as defined in the appended claims.

I claim 1. In a regenerative chamber a plurality of vertically disposedtransversely spaced and longitudinally extending checker sup portingwalls having transverse openings therethrough forming equalizingpassageways for the gases, a horizontal checker supporting diaphragmsupported on said checker walls and composed ot hollow tiles laid up inhigh temperature cement, the openings in said tiles forming verticalfiues through said diaphragm, a checkerwork supported on said diaphragmand having vertical and horizontal passageways therethrough and means inat least some of said vertical lues in said diaphragm adapted toregulate the flow of gases therethrough so as to build up a sufiicientpressure resistance to the flow of the gases to compel an equaldistribution thereof throughout the checkerwork.

2. In a regenerative chamber, a plurality of vertically disposedtransversely spaced andlongitudinally extending checker supporting wallshaving transverse openings therethrough forming equalizing passagewaysfor the gases, said walls having their top faces inclined upwardly inthe direction of flow of the gases, a checker supporting diaphragmmounted on said checker walls and composed of hollow tiles laid up inhigh temperature cement, the openings in said tiles forming verticalfilles through said diaphragm, and a checkerwork supported on saiddiaphragm and having vertical and horizontal passageways therethrough,at least some of said vertical passageways registering with the verticalfilles in said diaphragm, said diaphragm and said chcckerwork being ofthe same vertical dimension throughout their area so as to follow theinclination .of the top of said checker supporting walls.

3. In a regenerative chamber, a plurality of vertically disposedtransversely spaced and longitudinally extending checker sup,-l portingwalls having`- transverse openingsl therethrou h forming equalizingpassageways for t e gases, said walls having their top faces inclinedupwardly in the direction of flow of the gases so as to form a gascollecting chamber of constantly increasing area toward the outlet ofsaid chamber, a checker supporting diaphragm mounted on said checkerwalls and composed of hollow tiles laid up in high temperature cement,the openings in said tiles forming vertical flues through saiddiaphragm, and a checkerwork supported on said diaphragm and having 20vertical and horizontal assageways therethrough, at least some oi) saidvertical as`` sageways., registering with the vertical ues in saiddiaphragm, and said diaphragm and said checkerwork being of the samevertical 9,5 dimension throughout their area so as to follow theinclination of the top of said checker supporting walls and form a gasdistributv ing chamber of gradually decreasing area.

4. A checkerwork for regeneratige chamau bers and the like, composed ofintersecting vertical rows of cross-shaped bricks, said rows of bricksbeing spaced a art slightly less than the width of one bric said brickshaving the ends of their horizontal arms spaced arms abutting t evertical arms of the next brickof the lrow in a vertical direction, andthe horizontal arms of the bricks of the intersecting rows of bricksabutting for ory a v bricks, said bricks being laid up so that the endsof their vertical arms abut the ends of the vertical arms of the nextbrick of the row in a vertical direction, and the horizontal arms of thebricks of the intersecting rows of bricks abut for only a portion oftheir area so as to form horizontal and vertical passageways at thepoints of intersection of the bricks of' the intersecting rows ofbricks.

6. A checkerwork for regenerative -chambers and the like, composed oftwo series of lvertical rows of solid bricks, said rows of bricks of oneseries of rows being arranged 'at right angles to the rows of the otherseries to form vertical flues, said rows of each of said series of rowsbeiaig spaced apart not i5 more than the width cfa single brick, saidapart' and havin the ends of their vertical m hand.

y FRANK R. McGEE.`

